Pippi is an unusual and spirited nine-year-old girl. She has superhumanstrength, and is easily able to lift her horse with one hand. She often mocks and tricks adults she encounters; she usually reserves her worst behaviour for the most condescending adults. Pippi only really gets angry when someone treats her horse badly. Like Peter Pan, Pippi does not want to grow up. She is the daughter of a piratecaptain and has adventurous tales to tell.[1] She has four best friends: her horse, a monkey, and the neighbour's children Tommy and Annika.

The first three Pippi Longstocking books were published by Rabén and Sjögren from 1945 to 1948. Another series of six books were published between 1969 and 1975. Two final stories were printed in 1979 and 2000. The books have been translated into 64 languages.[2]

The first movie about Pippi Longstocking was filmed in 1949. The movie was based on three of the books, but several storylines were changed and characters were removed and added. Pippi's character was played by Viveca Serlachius. It was directed by Per Gunvall and released on October 20, 1950.

In 1961, the NBC children's television series Shirley Temple's Storybook showed an episode about Pippi Longstocking. It was the 15th episode in the show's 2nd season. The 60-minute episode first aired on 8 January 1961. The episode is historically important. It was the first time a child played Pippi in a television or movie adaptation, the first American television or movie adaptation of the book, and the first television or movie adaptation of the book in color.[4]

The episode stars (among others) child actor Gina Gillespie as Pippi Longstocking, Renie Riano as schoolteacher Miss Lindquist, and Tor Johnson as circus strongman Mighty Adolf. Pippi defeats bullies and burglars, and out-performs a circus strongman. The episode has been released to DVD.

A Swedish television series, Pippi Longstocking, was created in 1968. The stories were based on the books. The first episode was broadcast on Sveriges Radio TV in February 1969. It was a co-production between Sweden and West Germany. Several German actors had roles in the series. Inger Nilsson played Pippi.

Astrid Lindgren had been unhappy with the 1949 adaptation. She wrote the script herself for this version. The series was directed by Olle Hellbom who also directed several other Astrid Lindgren adaptations. This version is the most well-known version in Sweden and other European countries.